The pit stop: Cygnet
Take flight to artsy Cygnet, a town bracketed by fruit orchards, the Huon River and a breezy vibe. The main street is a shuffled pack of galleries, stores and eateries, rewarding a day of wandering and grazing.
Eat & Drink
Food miles are more like food metres at Port Cygnet Cannery, a restaurant and bar set inside a former apple cannery at the water’s edge. The menu is driven by what has come from the soil at the Cannery’s own farm in nearby Gardners Bay. Head up the hill towards Huonville to find Pagan Cider cradled inside an orchard. The cellar door has tastings of Pagan’s trio of core ciders – apple, pear and cherry – plus its small-batch ventures into the likes of quince cider and blueberry cider. Sundays drink best, when the cidery often has food vans and bands on site.
Stay
Step past its street-level cafe and you’ll find Cygnet Old Bank, plumb in the centre of town. Its three upstairs rooms are individually styled and look across the main street. Settle in for the night with a gourmet tasting platter delivered to your room. The Sterling room has an en suite bathroom, while Sovereign and Franc have private bathrooms across the hallway.
Credit: Jess Bonde
Shop
In a street flush with artsy shopping options, Three Twigs and Cuckoo Etc stand out for their eclectic and stylish homewares, gifts, clothing and artisan items. Inside the historic old general store, Huon Art represents Tasmanian artists, predominantly featuring Tasmanian landscapes.
Credit: Caroline Davies Choi
See
Grab some baked goodies from Poolish & Co and skip town for a couple of hours to the curiously named Eggs and Bacon Bay (named after a flower, not a breakfast). The bay’s narrow strip of beach is framed in tall bush, the waters are beautifully sheltered, and the view across the mouth of the Huon River is capped by Hartz Peak.